Originally posted by wilded
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My Professor was a great man and new a lot about exotic hybrids. Just because someone is professor does not make them an idiot. I did a study on whitetail/mule deer hybrids in the mid 1970s and have worked with hybrid exotics and cats for about 30 years. I know people that say they have bred all sorts of stuff but it checked out not to be true. You believe what you want. Here is the current beliefs of most that study wild cat domestic cat hybrids with bobcats. The Bobcat has crossed with the Lynx successfully.
The Ocelot has crossed with Margays and Cougars successfully. Make your own decisions.
DOMESTIC HYBRIDS WITH BOBCATS
Copyright 1993-2008,
Sarah Hartwell
Bobcat Hybrids
The Bobcat (F Rufus) will mate with domestic cats and there are several breeds that have claimed to be descended from such matings.
In a detailed study of the wild bobcat published in 1958, Stanley Young wrote of an apparently successful mating between a male Bobcat and a domestic cat at Sandy Creek, Texas during 1949. The offspring were observed by several persons in the area.
Young also mentioned a similar occurrence in 1954 in South Dakota where a black female domestic cat mated with a wild male Bobcat. In June 1954 she produced seven kittens as a result of this mating. Three kittens had bobtails, large feet, tufted ears and were light grey in colour, speckled with black dots on the belly, legs and sides. The ears were larger than usual, and hard and stiff with quarter inch ear tufts. Unfortunately on 27th June they were killed by a marauding domestic tomcat when less than a month old. The details of this 2nd case do not stand up to modern scrutiny. 4 of the alleged hybrid kittens were black and resembled domestic kittens except for having larger feet. As solid black is a recessive trait not found in bobcats, these kittens had to have been wholly domestic and not hybrids.
JS Gashwiler, WL Robinette and OW Morris (1961) described a litter of 5 kittens where 2 resembled domestic cats and 3 resembled bobcats. The bobcat-like kittens were shorthaired with tufted ears and white bellies with black spots. All 5 kittens were very wild. As adults, the alleged hybrids resembled dark coloured bobcats, but were little bigger than domestic tomcats.
In his book "A Cat Is Watching", Roger Caras documented a case of a presumed bobcat hybrid. The cat's personality quirks included a liking for licking gold (e.g. Mrs Caras's wedding ring). The cat was obtained as a stray and it was believed that someone in the region was mating bobcats to domestics to produce bobtailed cats. In a volume on cat breeds, American Bobtail breeder Rose Estes was quoted as saying that bobcats were more likely to mate with oestrus Siamese females than with other breeds. At the time of those accounts (1980s), the American Bobtail was claimed to be a bobcat hybrid.
The alleged bobcat hybrid breeds are the "American Lynx" (and related "Lynx" breeds), "American Bobtail" and the polydactylous "Pixie-Bob" (no genetic evidence of hybridization). The bobcat heritage of both the American Bobtail and the Pixie-Bob is anecdotal and based on their appearance; genetic analysis has thus far failed to find any bobcat genes and these are classed as wholly domestic cats. In early advertising, the American Lynx claimed up to 25% bobcat blood (i.e. quarter bobcat) and the Desert Lynx 12.5% (Bobcat within 3 generations), but bobcat markers have not been identified in its genes and these, and related breeds, are classed as wholly domestic. Bobcat blood, if it was ever present at all, is now too dilute to be detected.
The PixieBob Jungle cat hybrids and Bengals were introduced early into some Pixie-Bob lines. After TICA initially recognized the PixieBob there was an open registry and similar-looking cats of American Bobtail, Japanese Bobtail, Maine Coon, Manx may have been registered as PixieBob. TICA also permitted "Legend Cats" (supposed bobcat hybrids) to be registered as PixieBobs and there are suggestions that spotted Chausie variants were registered as Legend Cats. A Jungle Cat hybrid called El Gato del Oro, became the most awarded Pixie-Bob of all time.
Although it is speculated that the Desert Lynx breed group (American Lynx, Desert Lynx, Highland Lynx, Alpine Lynx and Mohave Bob) is derived from bobcat crosses DNA testing has not confirmed bobcat ancestry. These cats are therefore considered wholly domestic by registries. Some early claims for the breeds suggested the percentage of bobcat blood. American Lynx were derived from supposed bobcat hybrids bred in Arizona. Desert Lynx have the addition of short-tailed domestic cats. Highland Lynx are derived from Desert Lynx and Jungle Curl crosses and are curl-eared versions of the Desert Lynx and have Jungle cat genes in addition to bobcat genes. Some Desert Lynx breeders introduced Jungle Cats or Bengals to ensure a spotted breed. Maine Coons, with their size, rugged look, shaggy fur and tufted ears, enhanced the lynx-like look. The genetic mix included PixieBobs, American Bobtails and Manx, all of which have short or bobbed tails.
The Alpine Lynx is a white variety that traces back to two kittens born to a silver-and-white barn cat in the Turtle Mountains, North Dakota near the Manitoba border. The kittens were larger and wilder than normal and there were no pure white male domestic cats in the area. There was a white bobcat known as Witte Wolk ("White Cloud" in Dutch). These were bred to Highland Lynx and therefore can have curled ears as well as polydactyl paws. The cats are not albino, but carry the dominant white gene (properly termed epistatic white). Sceptics have noted that the dominant white gene can only have come from a free-roaming white domestic cat as all white bobcats examined have been albinos (a recessive gene).
The Mohave Bob breed is a rexed Desert Lynx developed by crossing Desert Lynx with Selkirk Rex to introduced the rexed coat type. Both longhaired and shorthaired varieities exist. The conformation is essentially that of the Desert Lynx: intelligent, large-boned, muscular cats with longer hind legs, tufted ears and possibly tufted toes. It has large, wide-set ears on a broad head with a broad, pronounced muzzle and wide-set eyes with heavy brows. The tail varies from absent, as in the Manx cat, to a hock-length bobtail. A natural short tail is preferred. The preferred patterns are tawny (ticked tabby with tabby pencillings on face, barring on legs and tail and sometimes necklaces), leopard (spotted/rosetted), and clouded leopard (a marbled pattern) although solids and classic or mackerel tabbies also occur. Silver series, sepias (Burmese colour restriction), minks (Tonkinese colour restriction) and snows (colourpoints) also occur and the eye colour matches the colour. The patterns occur in all colours except for tortoiseshell or bicolour. There may be a faint spotted pattern on tawny (ticked) individuals.
Mohave Bobs, Highland Lynx, Desert Lynx, and Alpine Lynx may be bred together, with offspring registered according to their appearance. Solid white offspring with either straight or curled coats and either straight or curled ears are considered Alpine Lynx. Non-white kittens with rexed coats are considered Mohave Bobs. Non-white kittens with straight coats and straight ears are considered Desert Lynx. Non-white kittens with straight coats and curled ears are considered Highland Lynx. As curled ears and white colour are both dominant traits, there is no danger of these occurtring as unwanted recessive traits in other Lynx varieties within the Desert Lynx grouping.
Until recently there has been no definitive genetic test for bobcat genes in a domestic cat. Dr Joy Halverson at Zoogen Labs is now conducting genetic testing for bobcat genes in domestic cats. Although hybrids of domestic cats with other small cats have been proven through captive breeding and upheld by testing the offspring for the markers of the two parents, bobcat hybrids seem to rely on anecdotal evidence as the bobcat parent is generally wild-roaming or the mating was several generations previously. Though there are claims of captive breeding and a few photos showing captive bobcats apparently mating with domestics, there is no firm evidence. Cats ovulate following mating and may mate with multiple males during oestrus. Where kittens have resulted these may have been sired not by the observed bobcat mating, but by subsequent domestic tomcats. Because the speculated first generation hybrids come from domestic females mated with bobcats, the mitochondrial DNA is wholly domestic (it is inherited from the mother only).
On the other hand, bobcat-hybrid breeders can still claim benefit of the doubt because current genetic tests can only prove a kitten is the offspring of two known cats rather than simply detecting wildcat genes (for example, even in known chaus hybrids, chaus genetic markers could not be identified). If bobcat hybrids occurred naturally, the bobcat would lose its distinctive looks due to interbreeding with the more numerous feral cat in just the same way the Scottish Wildcat is becoming increasingly mongrelized. Mapping of the feline genome and more refined genetic testing will eventually answer the question. Meanwhile, bobcat hybrids may be possible but very, very rare compared to other hybrids, and domestic cats that resemble bobcats appear to be due to natural selection among feral cats or artificial selection by breeders.
The Ocelot has crossed with Margays and Cougars successfully. Make your own decisions.
DOMESTIC HYBRIDS WITH BOBCATS
Copyright 1993-2008,
Sarah Hartwell
Bobcat Hybrids
The Bobcat (F Rufus) will mate with domestic cats and there are several breeds that have claimed to be descended from such matings.
In a detailed study of the wild bobcat published in 1958, Stanley Young wrote of an apparently successful mating between a male Bobcat and a domestic cat at Sandy Creek, Texas during 1949. The offspring were observed by several persons in the area.
Young also mentioned a similar occurrence in 1954 in South Dakota where a black female domestic cat mated with a wild male Bobcat. In June 1954 she produced seven kittens as a result of this mating. Three kittens had bobtails, large feet, tufted ears and were light grey in colour, speckled with black dots on the belly, legs and sides. The ears were larger than usual, and hard and stiff with quarter inch ear tufts. Unfortunately on 27th June they were killed by a marauding domestic tomcat when less than a month old. The details of this 2nd case do not stand up to modern scrutiny. 4 of the alleged hybrid kittens were black and resembled domestic kittens except for having larger feet. As solid black is a recessive trait not found in bobcats, these kittens had to have been wholly domestic and not hybrids.
JS Gashwiler, WL Robinette and OW Morris (1961) described a litter of 5 kittens where 2 resembled domestic cats and 3 resembled bobcats. The bobcat-like kittens were shorthaired with tufted ears and white bellies with black spots. All 5 kittens were very wild. As adults, the alleged hybrids resembled dark coloured bobcats, but were little bigger than domestic tomcats.
In his book "A Cat Is Watching", Roger Caras documented a case of a presumed bobcat hybrid. The cat's personality quirks included a liking for licking gold (e.g. Mrs Caras's wedding ring). The cat was obtained as a stray and it was believed that someone in the region was mating bobcats to domestics to produce bobtailed cats. In a volume on cat breeds, American Bobtail breeder Rose Estes was quoted as saying that bobcats were more likely to mate with oestrus Siamese females than with other breeds. At the time of those accounts (1980s), the American Bobtail was claimed to be a bobcat hybrid.
The alleged bobcat hybrid breeds are the "American Lynx" (and related "Lynx" breeds), "American Bobtail" and the polydactylous "Pixie-Bob" (no genetic evidence of hybridization). The bobcat heritage of both the American Bobtail and the Pixie-Bob is anecdotal and based on their appearance; genetic analysis has thus far failed to find any bobcat genes and these are classed as wholly domestic cats. In early advertising, the American Lynx claimed up to 25% bobcat blood (i.e. quarter bobcat) and the Desert Lynx 12.5% (Bobcat within 3 generations), but bobcat markers have not been identified in its genes and these, and related breeds, are classed as wholly domestic. Bobcat blood, if it was ever present at all, is now too dilute to be detected.
The PixieBob Jungle cat hybrids and Bengals were introduced early into some Pixie-Bob lines. After TICA initially recognized the PixieBob there was an open registry and similar-looking cats of American Bobtail, Japanese Bobtail, Maine Coon, Manx may have been registered as PixieBob. TICA also permitted "Legend Cats" (supposed bobcat hybrids) to be registered as PixieBobs and there are suggestions that spotted Chausie variants were registered as Legend Cats. A Jungle Cat hybrid called El Gato del Oro, became the most awarded Pixie-Bob of all time.
Although it is speculated that the Desert Lynx breed group (American Lynx, Desert Lynx, Highland Lynx, Alpine Lynx and Mohave Bob) is derived from bobcat crosses DNA testing has not confirmed bobcat ancestry. These cats are therefore considered wholly domestic by registries. Some early claims for the breeds suggested the percentage of bobcat blood. American Lynx were derived from supposed bobcat hybrids bred in Arizona. Desert Lynx have the addition of short-tailed domestic cats. Highland Lynx are derived from Desert Lynx and Jungle Curl crosses and are curl-eared versions of the Desert Lynx and have Jungle cat genes in addition to bobcat genes. Some Desert Lynx breeders introduced Jungle Cats or Bengals to ensure a spotted breed. Maine Coons, with their size, rugged look, shaggy fur and tufted ears, enhanced the lynx-like look. The genetic mix included PixieBobs, American Bobtails and Manx, all of which have short or bobbed tails.
The Alpine Lynx is a white variety that traces back to two kittens born to a silver-and-white barn cat in the Turtle Mountains, North Dakota near the Manitoba border. The kittens were larger and wilder than normal and there were no pure white male domestic cats in the area. There was a white bobcat known as Witte Wolk ("White Cloud" in Dutch). These were bred to Highland Lynx and therefore can have curled ears as well as polydactyl paws. The cats are not albino, but carry the dominant white gene (properly termed epistatic white). Sceptics have noted that the dominant white gene can only have come from a free-roaming white domestic cat as all white bobcats examined have been albinos (a recessive gene).
The Mohave Bob breed is a rexed Desert Lynx developed by crossing Desert Lynx with Selkirk Rex to introduced the rexed coat type. Both longhaired and shorthaired varieities exist. The conformation is essentially that of the Desert Lynx: intelligent, large-boned, muscular cats with longer hind legs, tufted ears and possibly tufted toes. It has large, wide-set ears on a broad head with a broad, pronounced muzzle and wide-set eyes with heavy brows. The tail varies from absent, as in the Manx cat, to a hock-length bobtail. A natural short tail is preferred. The preferred patterns are tawny (ticked tabby with tabby pencillings on face, barring on legs and tail and sometimes necklaces), leopard (spotted/rosetted), and clouded leopard (a marbled pattern) although solids and classic or mackerel tabbies also occur. Silver series, sepias (Burmese colour restriction), minks (Tonkinese colour restriction) and snows (colourpoints) also occur and the eye colour matches the colour. The patterns occur in all colours except for tortoiseshell or bicolour. There may be a faint spotted pattern on tawny (ticked) individuals.
Mohave Bobs, Highland Lynx, Desert Lynx, and Alpine Lynx may be bred together, with offspring registered according to their appearance. Solid white offspring with either straight or curled coats and either straight or curled ears are considered Alpine Lynx. Non-white kittens with rexed coats are considered Mohave Bobs. Non-white kittens with straight coats and straight ears are considered Desert Lynx. Non-white kittens with straight coats and curled ears are considered Highland Lynx. As curled ears and white colour are both dominant traits, there is no danger of these occurtring as unwanted recessive traits in other Lynx varieties within the Desert Lynx grouping.
Until recently there has been no definitive genetic test for bobcat genes in a domestic cat. Dr Joy Halverson at Zoogen Labs is now conducting genetic testing for bobcat genes in domestic cats. Although hybrids of domestic cats with other small cats have been proven through captive breeding and upheld by testing the offspring for the markers of the two parents, bobcat hybrids seem to rely on anecdotal evidence as the bobcat parent is generally wild-roaming or the mating was several generations previously. Though there are claims of captive breeding and a few photos showing captive bobcats apparently mating with domestics, there is no firm evidence. Cats ovulate following mating and may mate with multiple males during oestrus. Where kittens have resulted these may have been sired not by the observed bobcat mating, but by subsequent domestic tomcats. Because the speculated first generation hybrids come from domestic females mated with bobcats, the mitochondrial DNA is wholly domestic (it is inherited from the mother only).
On the other hand, bobcat-hybrid breeders can still claim benefit of the doubt because current genetic tests can only prove a kitten is the offspring of two known cats rather than simply detecting wildcat genes (for example, even in known chaus hybrids, chaus genetic markers could not be identified). If bobcat hybrids occurred naturally, the bobcat would lose its distinctive looks due to interbreeding with the more numerous feral cat in just the same way the Scottish Wildcat is becoming increasingly mongrelized. Mapping of the feline genome and more refined genetic testing will eventually answer the question. Meanwhile, bobcat hybrids may be possible but very, very rare compared to other hybrids, and domestic cats that resemble bobcats appear to be due to natural selection among feral cats or artificial selection by breeders.
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